Obama, Modi talk infrastructure connectivity, terrorism
Infrastructure connectivity and terrorism in South Asia figured high when US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for the first time in Washington yesterday.
Both Obama and Modi emphasised the need to accelerate infrastructure connectivity and economic development corridors for regional economic integration linking South, Southeast, and Central Asia, a joint statement issued after the talks said.
It said Obama reiterated that the United States, through its New Silk Road and India-Pacific Economic Corridor, is promoting the linkage of India to its neighbours and the wider region to enable a freer flow of commerce and energy.
India has been prodding Bangladesh for providing road and waterways connectivity and the issue came up during the first meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Modi on the margins of the UN General Assembly on September 27.
Emerging from the 90-minute talks with Obama, Modi said they discussed the challenges posed by terrorism. “We discussed existing terrorism challenges including in south Asia and new threats in west Asia," he said.
The two countries have agreed to share intelligence and cooperate on counter-terrorism measures. They also discussed the need to dismantle "safe havens" for terrorists, said the joint statement.
Obama and Modi reaffirmed “their deep concern over the continued threat posed by terrorism, most recently highlighted by the dangers presented by the ISIL, and underlined the need for continued comprehensive global efforts to combat and defeat terrorism, it said.
The two leaders stressed the need for joint and concerted efforts including the dismantling of safe havens for terrorist and criminal networks, to disrupt all financial and tactical support for terror networks such as al Qaeda, Lashkar-e Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, the D-Company, and the Haqqanis.
They reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators to justice for the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, which left 166 people dead.
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